Debbie's Grandparent's Homestead

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This photo is of a drawing of Debbie's paternal grandfather's homestead. The drawing was a gift from the artist, Odessa, to Debbie's mother.

Debbie's paternal grandfather immigrated to the USA from Bohemia as a small boy. He would gather his grandchildren around his knee and tell them about crossing the Atlantic on a sailboat. He'd describe the ocean and sailors in great detail. The first year he homesteaded the land, he could not afford a mule to pull the plow, so his new wife volunteered to help. He was 6' 4"; but she was only 4' 8" and too slight to press the plow in the hard Kansas soil. Therefore, she asked him to put her in the plow's harness so they could get the required acreage tilled and planted into crops to keep the land.

Homesteaders suffered many hardships to own a piece of land and be independent. Grandfather quarried his own limestone to build their home. As their family increased, he eventually added a wooden addition for a big kitchen and bedroom. They raised eight children in this three bedroom home. Now all that remains of this homestead is one tree.